Zhenyuan City.
The Beifeng Commune held another general meeting.
With a grim face, its leader, Zhao Lifeng, announced some bad news. "Liu Tiancheng and Wu Xuan are both dead."
"What?!" The commune's other members all paled in shock.
Someone immediately asked, "I remember they were sent to deal with a new Ghost Tamer named Hu Jiu. It was two against one, and the Drunkard that Liu Tiancheng controlled was good at both offense and defense and could even confuse Fierce Ghosts. How did they suddenly die? Is Hu Jiu that strong?"
Zhao Lifeng shook his head. "They accidentally got caught up in a supernatural incident in Linjiang City and died in it. Hu Jiu sealed them away while he was at it."
The shock on everyone's faces had yet to fade.
Zhao Lifeng spoke in a hoarse voice. "We've lost too much because of this newcomer. We've targeted him twice, and now we're mortal enemies. We can only press on and get rid of him for good. Otherwise, when he grows stronger in the future, he may become a threat to us!"
As soon as he said this, someone objected. "Boss, forgive me for being blunt, but no matter how much Hu Jiu grows, he's still just one man fighting alone. He'll get stronger, but we'll only get even stronger. The Beifeng Commune is a well-known organization, after all. There's no need to keep hounding some nobody. Besides, I hear Hu Jiu has officially taken charge of Linjiang City. If we kill him, Headquarters will definitely hold us accountable, if only to save face."
The words were artfully phrased. What he really wanted was to persuade Zhao Lifeng to cut his losses before it was too late. Three Beifeng Commune members had already died directly or indirectly at Hu Jiu's hands, which was downright uncanny, but he couldn't openly say something so damaging to morale.
As for avenging the dead, that had never been on the table. The organization's members were merely colleagues brought together by mutual benefit. As long as it didn't affect them, if someone died, so be it.
Zhao Lifeng swept a cold, mocking gaze over everyone present. "You're right, but I disagree! I need to recover my sunk costs, and I suspect the ghost I'm looking for is in Hu Jiu's hands."
Zhao Lifeng had private dealings with people at Headquarters and was well informed. He knew what Hu Jiu had been through recently: he had walked out of the Ghost Village unharmed, then easily killed a Ghost Tamer from the Research Department on his way back. Such strength clearly differed drastically from what Headquarters had on record.
Some things that had happened to the Beifeng Commune recently seemed to have nothing to do with Hu Jiu, yet he had happened to appear every time, giving him some connection to each incident. Zhao Lifeng was no fool. He didn't need evidence; the best solution was to capture the suspect and bring him back for interrogation, or simply kill him.
"Leader, who are you planning to send this time?" someone couldn't help asking.
"I haven't decided." Zhao Lifeng frowned. "I'm not some brain-dead villain from a TV drama who insists on sending people to their deaths one at a time. If necessary, I'll choose to send everyone out."
"I'm in very poor condition. There's no way I can fight." A guileless-sounding voice suddenly spoke up.
Zhao Lifeng rolled his eyes in disdain. "Wei Xiyuan, you use that excuse to wriggle out of things every time. When exactly are you going to get back into fighting shape?"
Wei Xiyuan gave an awkward laugh. "Boss, how about... you give me a few more talismans that can suppress a Fierce Ghost's revival?"
Zhao Lifeng looked impatient. Why had he recruited this good-for-nothing in the first place?
After a few more brief instructions, the meeting ended.
Only after Zhao Lifeng had left did Wei Xiyuan get up and head out, muttering casually under his breath, "The leader is making too much of this. I get the feeling he's a little impatient. Did something bad happen?"
His voice was quiet, but everyone could hear him.
Was he offering a warning or sowing discord?
People quietly studied Wei Xiyuan with sidelong glances, but he looked innocent, as if he were merely stating a fact.
The people sent by Headquarters arrived in Linjiang City that afternoon. They took away the Fierce Ghost that could cause humans to develop a contagious mental illness, and all the patients afflicted by its curse were forcibly transferred as well.
The group came and went in a hurry. Beside Hu Jiu, a worried Qian Ying watched them leave.
"Can Xiao Zhang still come back?" he asked softly.
"I don't know," Hu Jiu replied perfunctorily.
Qian Ying sighed deeply. Xiao Zhang's full name was Zhang Yunjian. Though he was a little impulsive, he had a strong sense of responsibility and justice. Who would have thought that life could change so suddenly, and one careless moment would be his undoing?
Suppressing the ache in his heart, Qian Ying passed a message to Hu Jiu. "Several well-known wealthy people and business executives in Linjiang City would like to meet you. Are you interested, Mr. Hu?"
"No." Hu Jiu refused without hesitation.
Qian Ying looked troubled. "They had several joint projects with Mr. Liu. Going forward..."
"I don't know much about that sort of thing. They can decide what to do themselves," Hu Jiu said casually. "They're all citizens of Linjiang City. I'll protect them all equally."
Qian Ying smiled bitterly. People of that class wanted privileges, not equal treatment!
There was no fault to be found with Hu Jiu's words, so Qian Ying could hardly say more. Being straightforward was far better than becoming arrogant the moment one gained a little power.
Qian Ying had spent many years working in public security and had seen all kinds of people. He understood human nature all too well and knew that some people were honest and well-behaved only while they were poor. Once they got ahead, they turned greedy and tyrannical in the blink of an eye. Some were like Li Dazui from "My Own Swordsman": after learning a fake set of Dragon-Subduing Ten Slaps, he immediately became carried away and turned everything upside down;
Others were like Yan Xiaoliu. Not long after becoming a constable, he lost sight of his own limitations, thought speaking in official jargon was the essential difference between officials and commoners, and mistook excessive enforcement for diligence and responsibility. Within the scope of his authority, he made life difficult for others whenever he could, put on the airs of a leader wherever he went, and showed no mercy even to those who had helped him.
Qian Ying sincerely hoped Hu Jiu could maintain his good conduct.
Hu Jiu had no idea what Qian Ying was imagining. He only thought the way Qian Ying looked at him was a little strange.
"I've requisitioned all the gold items Liu Mingguang owned, as well as the safe house he built. Gold can only be put to its greatest use in my hands." Having announced his decision, Hu Jiu turned and left.
Linjiang City was actually easy to manage. No one dared use their power or wealth to provoke a Ghost Tamer. Liu Mingguang had done his duty before, beating them all into submission. Afterward, Hu Jiu had carried out a bloody purge, and now the entire city was very harmonious.
There were two unresolved supernatural incidents in the city. One involved the ghost Liu Mingguang had summoned to deal with Hu Jiu, whose whereabouts were currently unknown; the other involved a haunted house.
The police had sealed off the area around the haunted house, and there were no signs of the incident spreading. Hu Jiu was in no hurry to deal with it; he had other things to attend to.
He hadn't copied a new supernatural ability in a long time, and the Ghost Book was maintaining a fragile balance. He didn't want to take any risks. He took the Longevity Candle out of the wardrobe and felt its warmth against his palm. It could help stabilize his condition to some extent, though it did use up people rather quickly.
But the Longevity Candle had another use now. Two members of the Beifeng Commune had infiltrated Linjiang City, and Hu Jiu didn't know what they wanted or believe they meant well.
Rather than wait for trouble to come knocking, it was better to strike first!